Knee cap brace



Jan. 22, 1963 N. scHuLMAN KNEE CAP BRACE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 14.1961 INVENTOR. NORMAN SCH ULMAN BY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. .NORMANSCHULMAN N. SCHULMAN KNEE CAP BRACE Jan. 22, 1963 Filed Nov. 14, 1961United States Patent O 3,074,4@ KNEE CAP BRACE Norman Schulman, 55 GristMill Lane, Great Neck, NX. Filed Nov. 14, 1961, Ser. No. 152,279 2Claims. (Cl. 12S-165) This invention relates to a knee brace, stabilizeror support.

An object of the invention is to provide an elastic sleeve adapted toengage about a knee joint, with stays fixed on the sleeve to localizesupport, the sleeve having a knee-cap receiving and engaging portion tostabilize the sleeve on the knee.

Other objects are to provide a knee supporter which can be readilyapplied and removed; which will not interfere with normal movements ofthe limbs; which will support an unstable knee resulting from cartilageor muscle injuries; which yields elastically transversely andlongitudinally; which is easily washed; and which can be manufactured atlow cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a front oblique view of a knee supporter embodying theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal or transverse sectional view taken on staggeredline 2 2 of FIG. l.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section on a rdeuced scale taken on line 3 3 ofFIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a stay and pocket for the stay prior toassembly for mounting on the knee supporter.

FIG. 5 is a front oblique view of another knee supporter according tothe invention.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 6 6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 7 7 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 8 8 of FIG. 7.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, there is shown knee supporter 10 including acylindrical sleeve 12 formed of two-way stretch elastic materialpreferably made of nylon. The sleeve may be knitted on a full-fashionedhosiery knitting machine without longitudinal seams. Upper and lowerends of the sleeve may be folded over to form doubled elastic annularhems 14, 16 which may be secured by chain stitching 18, 18.Alternatively, the sleeve may be knitted to provide selvages at oppositeends. A hole 19 is formed in the side of the front half of the sleevelocated centrally between opposite ends of the sleeve. The elastic rim2l) of the hole may be strengthened by an elastic binding 23 folded overthe rim and secured to stitching 24. This apertured, reinforcedstructure is adapted to receive kneecap C of knee K indicated in dottedlines in FIG. 2, to secure the sleeve on the knee joint and prevent itfrom riding up or down the calf or thigh of the wearer.

Circumferentially spaced from' the hole 19 are two pairs oflongitudinally aligned flexible stays 26, 27 and 28, 29. The stays areenclosed in rectangular fabric pockets 30, 31 and 32, 33. The pocketsmay have turnedin edges 35 secured by chain stitching 37 to the frontside of the sleeve. The stays are elongated rectangular structures whichmay be made of plastic or metal material; see FIG. 4.

The t-wo stays in each pair are spaced in the axial di- ICC rection ofthe sleeve by a short elastic section 36 of the sleeve fabric. Thisshort section serves as a hinge between the stays and permits freeflexing of the sleeve while the wearer bends his knee, without binding.At the same time the stays which are rather stiilly flexible effectivelysupport the local parts of the thigh and calf.

It will be noted that outer lateral edges E of the pockets and stays arespaced circumferentially somewhat less than apart on the front half ofsleeve 12 so that pressure is exerted by the stays on the front of thewearers thigh and calf. Thus, little or no pressure is applied by thestays to muscles which must have free movement while maximum support isgiven to cartilaginous parts of the knee joint.

In FIGS. 5-8 is shown another knee supporter 10a generally similar tosupporter 10. The supporter 19' has a cylindrical knitted fabric sleevebody 12a which is elastic both longitudinally or axially andtransversely or circumferentially like sleeve 12. Upper and lower edgesof the sleeve body 12a are turned in to form hems 14a and 16' which aresecured by stitching l, 18h. Integrally knitted with the front side ofthe sleeve midway between the ends thereof is a shallow elastic pocketor sac 21 adapted to receive the kneecap of the wearers knee joint. Thepocket 21 engages around and covers the kneecap in contrast to theapertured structure of sleeve 12 in which the kneecap C will be exposed.The elastic walls of the pockets 2l engage the kneecap and effectivelyprevent the sleeve from riding up or down the thigh or calf,respectively, of the wearer.

Four stays 2629 are arranged in two circumferentially spaced pairs. Thestays are enclosed in elongated fabric pockets Sty-33. The pockets aresecured by stitching 37 to the front half of the cylindrical sleeve 12a.

It is preferred that the sleeves 12 and 12a be knitted of elastic nylonyarn in a two-way stretch weave. This will enable the knee supporter toyield in whole and in part in axial and circumferential directions topermit freedom of movement of the knee joint while affording maximumsupport.

The cylindrical sleeve can be readily put on and taken off the leg ofthe wearer. It is washable for reuse without losing its shape orelasticity.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes andmodications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined inthe appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent 1s:

1. A knee joint supporter, comprising a cylindrical sleeve, meanscentrally located between opposite open ends of the sleeve adapted forengaging around the kneecap of the knee joint, two pairs of spacedfabric pockets secured to said sleeve, and two pairs of flexible staysrespectively enclosed insaid fabric pockets, said pockets beingcircumferentially spaced apart with said means being disposedtherebetween, the stays in each pair of pockets being disposed inlongitudinal alignment parallel to the axis of the sleeve andlongitudinally spaced apart by an elastic hinge forming part of thesleeve, said means being an elastic fabric pocket integrally knittedwith said sleeve, said opposite open ends of the sleeve being formedwith turned-in hems providing a double, reinforced elastic structure ateach end of the sleeve.

2. A knee joint supporter, comprisin3 a cylindrical sleeve, meanscentrally located between opposite open ends of the sleeve adapted forengaging around the kneecap of the knee joint, two pairs of spacedfabric pockets secured to said sleeve, and two pairs of llexible staysrespectively enclosed in said fabric pockets, said pockets beingcircumferentially spaced part with said means being disposedtherebetween, the stays in each pair of pockets being disposed inlongitudinal alignment parallel to the axis of the sleeve andlongitudinally spaced apart by an elastic hinge forming part of thesleeve, said means being a hole in the sleeve, said hole having anelastic rim', and an elastic binding 0n said rim, said opposite openends of the sleeve being formed with turned-in stitched 2,195,024Bullock Mar. 26, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 663,643 Germany Aug. 10, 1938133,166 Switzerland Aug. 1, 1929

1. A KNEE JOINT SUPPORTER, COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL SLEEVE, MEANSCENTRALLY LOCATED BETWEEN OPPOSITE OPEN ENDS OF THE SLEEVE ADAPTED FORENGAGING AROUND THE KNEECAP OF THE KNEE JOINT, TWO PAIRS OF SPACEDFABRIC POCKETS SECURED TO SAID SLEEVE, AND TWO PAIRS OF FLEXIBLE STAYSRESPECTIVELY ENCLOSED IN SAID FABRIC POCKETS, SAID POCKETS BEINGCIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED APART WITH SAID MEANS BEING DISPOSEDTHEREBETWEEN, THE STAYS IN EACH PAIR OF POCKETS BEING DISPOSED INLONGITUDINAL ALIGNMENT PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF THE SLEEVE ANDLONGITUDINALLY SPACED APART BY AN ELASTIC HINGE FORMING PART OF THESLEEVE, SAID MEANS BEING AN ELASTIC FABRIC POCKET INTEGRALLY KNITTEDWITH SAID SLEEVE, SAID OPPOSITE OPEN ENDS OF THE SLEEVE BEING FORMEDWITH TURNED-IN HEMS PROVIDING A DOUBLE, REINFORCED ELASTIC STRUCTURE ATEACH END OF THE SLEEVE.